Love Never Dies
by MissThenardierLovett
Summary: 10 years after the dreadful events at the Opera Populaire in Paris, the Phantom and Christine Daaé (now Christine de Chagny) meet again in a different land. But there's someone, an old friend from the past, who is determined to have her place in the Phantom's heart. My own version of Love Never Dies by Andrew Lloyd Webber
1. Prologue

**LOVE NEVER DIES  
By MissThenadierLovett**

**Prologue**

Three figures walked in the shadow and the mist. One of them, the tallest, was wrapped entirely in a cloak, its face covered as well by a cap.

The others were two women who looked mother and daughter. The older held a cane in his hand and was guiding the group through the isolated docks. The younger glanced nervously around her, her blonde curls bouncing against her fresh visage despite being hidden under a dark shawl.

They arrived in front of an old rusty boat, waiting for the equipage, and stopped. There was a man standing there, holding a cigar between his gritted yellow teeth. He eyed at the group with a suspicious a glance, while the older woman approached.

"Are you the captain of this ship?" she asked in English, but with a strong French accent.

The man tipped his hat in a mocking way. "At your service, madam". His fetid breath invested her, making her feel sick.

"I need your help, monsieur. Me and my companion here" she pointed at the two behind her. "Need a safe crossing to America. Your ship leaves in a few hours, does it?"

The captain nodded.

"Then, please monsieur, hide us. We need you to hide us in your boat" she almost pleaded.

"What will I get in return?" he asked. Captain Hayden was a practical man, he knew how the world worked and he knew that nobody gives you nothing for free. With another glance, he looked at the hooded figure. It was a man, by the look of it, and a very strong one. However he looked distant, keeping his head low and his face hidden.

The woman seemed taken aback by the captain's question. In fact, it took a few time for her to answer: "I have money, sir".

"I have them as well" said Hayden shifting his eyes to the other younger woman. An extremely gracious girl who held his gaze in a shy but yet determinate expression. Although she was wrapped tightly in a coat but her curves were still quite visible. "What about some time alone with the girl?".

"Don't you dare to go near my daughter-!"

"No maman, I'll do it" said the blonde taking a step forward.

"Meg I forbid you to-"

"Do you have a better idea?!" argued the girl looking at her mother. "If so, please be so kind to enlighten us all".

Madame Giry stared at her beloved child standing proudly even though she was about to do something really hideous. She bowed her head resigned.

"You may wait for her in my ship" said captain Hayden, before adding with a smirk, to Meg: "Shall we two go then, mademoiselle?". He offered her his arm, in a mockery of gallantry.

The blonde girl accept it, stolid. She glanced one last time to her mother and her male companion, who didn't bother to look back at her. "It will be a pleasure, captain".

* * *

_Oh yeah, I'm back! Lately, I've fallen in love with Phantom of the Opera, and Love Never Dies as well. So I decided to write my own version of LND, adding some things and changing others. So here's the prologue, and I'm curious to know what you all think about it ;) _


	2. Only for him

**Only for him**

_A/N: It almost seems impossible but yeah, I'm back! I was about to leave this fanfic, but a very nice anon review made me change my mind... so, if you're reading this... THANK YOU!_

Meg looked through a chink in the curtain. "Jesus, what a crowd" she said softly, staring at the visitors who had come to see the wonders that Phantasma showed.

One of the chorus girls looked at her with a small smile. She wore a costume just like hers, but of a different color. "Nervous?"

"Just a bit"

"Oh darling, look who you are!" exclaimed another, patting her on a shoulder. "You're already a major star!"

Meg shrugged. She wasn't really used to compliments. In fact when she had been working as a dancer at the Opera Populaire she received nothing but critics by her mother, despite all the efforts she had been doing to make her proud. But since they had arrived in America and had built the amusement park at Coney Island things had changed. Madame Giry had encouraged her to become the most important performer of the show and to try to draw _his _attention. Now people who went to see her performance literally adored her, and even the fellow dancers looked at her as an example to follow and imitate.

"I wonder what he'll say…" she murmured mindlessly, slowly caressing the fabric of the red curtain.

"The boss?" asked the first girl, Jayne. "How could he not fall in love with you, after tonight?"

"If he's even here…".

It was true. He had never come to a show since the opening of Phantasma. And she had been trying anything to bring him out of his quarters to at least look at her occasionally, but nothing had really worked. He was too absorbed in his music- although he hadn't composed anything as glorious or brilliant as Don Juan Triumphant- and in the past. Still Meg haven't given up, even if she started to feel quite fed up of the situation.

"Honey please, of course he's here!" cried Jayne. "And in just two days, he'll be there tossing you bouquets, you'll see".

Meg smiled unconvinced. She practiced night and day, she sang, danced and did… "unorthodox" things. Everything only for him. For the Phantom of the Opera. And what did she receive for her efforts? Nothing but empty promises, distant glances and short answers.

"Miss Giry, girls, we're ready in a couple of minutes" announced a stagehand from the backstage. The ballerinas started squeaking excitedly.

"How do I look?" questioned the blonde, combing her curls with one hand. "How about my hair?".

"You're just beautiful" answered one of her colleagues. "I wish I looked as perfect as you do".

Outside the crowd cheered, waiting for their diva. For her.

"Ladies and gentlemen" proclaimed Squelch, the master of ceremonies. "Here we have our lovely Oh-La-La Girl, our incomparable… MEG GIRY!".

The curtain slowly raised, allowing her the view of hundreds of people silently waiting to hear her voice and watch her dancing.

"Welcome, each and every one, to our imperilment of fun!" she sang softly, waving to the audience.

The chorus followed: "And buffet of Bali Hoo! It's where Coney comes to play, and it's opening today"

"And it's only for you!" she added. _For him_ she corrected mentally _everything I do, I do it only for him. _

-X-

Christine de Chagny, looking beautiful as an angel, walked into the dining room wrapped in her dressing gown and sat down at the table opposite his 10-years-old son, Gustave, who was busy stabbing a pancake.

"Careful, love" she scolded him fondly, pouring some hot tea in her china cup.

Raoul, her husband, wasn't there. As usual. He was probably still out, drinking away their money in a dirty pub, or playing cards. She hoped he just dropped his obsession for alcohol and gambling, at least for hers and their son's sake. It had started a few months after Gustave's birth, when they both couldn't manage to sleep because of the child's nocturnal crying. And so Raoul one night, tired and nervous, had taken a glass of gin to calm himself; since then, things had got worse. But she had always stayed beside him, trying to help and comfort him.

"A letter for you, madame" said the maid, Sarah, handing her an envelope.

Christine smiled and thanked, reading with a frown the address. It came from America.

She read the letter. It was from a certain mr. Y, who wanted her to sing at his circus at Coney Island, offering her and her family room and board in one of the most expensive hotel in New York, as well as an exorbitant amount of money.

They had to go. Raoul had left his heritage on a poker table in Montecarlo, they needed the money.

"Mother is everything alright?" she heard her son's worried voice asking.

She lifted her eyes and smiled. "Of course, love. I am just thinking".

The child nodded and turned his attention back to his breakfast. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes, until Christine spoke again with her soft voice.

"Gustave, love? Would you like to visit America?"

* * *

_I hope you have all liked this! I have next chapter (which is terribly looooong) ready! The name of the chapter? "Till I hear you sing", obviously! _


End file.
